The road to the World Series is always full of former Detroit Tigers, isn’t it?
Dave Dombrowski, the architect of the 2012 Tigers World Series team, is making history
Dombrowski, who is currently the president of the Philadelphia Phillies, made Major League Baseball history by becoming the first manager to lead four different teams to the World Series.
Dombrowski, who managed the Tigers when they last made the playoffs in 2012, made a pivotal decision for the Phillies midseason when he fired Joe Girard as manager and installed Rob Thomson, who tearfully led the Phillies to a championship run.
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Miami Marlins
The Tigers fired Dombrowski as general manager in 2015 and hired Al Avila, who himself was fired this past season after six fruitless years. Dombrowski led the Red Sox to a World Series championship in 2018 and was then hired by the Phillies in 2020.
Dombrowski had led the Marlins to a World Series championship in 2003 as general manager.
Two other former Tigers play key roles in the series
Two other former Detroit Tiger stars will appear in this year’s showdown between the Phillies and the Houston Astros.
Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander will play in Friday’s series opener at Houston after posting an 18-4 record in 2022 with a league-low 1.75 earned run average (ERA).
Championship Series – New York Yankees v Houston Astros – Game One
Philadelphia starting outfielder Nick Castellanos will play a key role in the Phillies’ title quest. Castellanos hit .263 with 13 home runs in 136 games with the Phils, who squeaked into the playoffs as a wild card after finishing third in the NL East.
Championship Series – San Diego Padres v Philadelphia Phillies – Game Five
5 Infuriating and Embarrassing Things Detroit Tigers Owner Chris Ilitch Said at Al Avila’s Shooting Press Conference
Detroit Tigers owner Chris Ilitch held a press conference minutes after announcing the resignation of Al Avila as general manager of the club. Ilitch, who has been criticized as an aloof MLB owner with little or no real interest or passion for the Tigers, spent about 20 minutes answering questions from reporters.
His responses ranged from ignorant, evasive, and downright apathetic. Here are the five worst things he said.
3 Big Reasons Why Theo Epstein Is Not The Next GM Of The Detroit Tigers
The Tigers are officially looking for their next general manager. A household name among fans and media alike is Theo Epstein, who has authored magical, curse-breaking championship runs with the Red Sox and Cubs.
His appeal is obvious: a bona fide, proven record of success and championships, which he achieved by resurrecting two historic baseball franchises that had fallen into a cycle of mediocrity.
But Epstein would never fit in with the Tigers, at least not as the franchise currently operates.
